Maple Leaves
by Orangeflight of ShadowClan
Summary: -summary under construction- Redtail's just a normal cat, or so it seems. There are some things that other stories won't tell you.


**Hi, so uhh... I'm not dead or anything :P I was on a brief hiatus. I'm back and Better Than Ever now though, if that means anything to you. I'll update Lucky sometime.**

 **This is a new story called Maple Leaves! It's about Redtail's life and all of the problems he went through. The only thing that is the same will be the allegiances, and at the end, the battle where Redtail dies. I hope you have fun reading this! Updates might be pretty slow.**

 _ **ThunderClan**_

 **Allegiances:**

 **Leader: Sunstar-golden tabby tom**

 **Deputy: Bluefur-blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Apprentice, Goldenpaw**

 **Medicine Cat: Featherwhisker-fluffy gray tabby tom**

 **Apprentice, Spottedpaw**

 **Warriors** **:**

 **Stonepelt-gray tom**

 **Apprentice, Frostpaw**

 **Stormtail-blue-gray tom with blue eyes**

 **Adderfang-mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes**

 **Apprentice, Willowpaw**

 **Sparrowpelt-big, dark brown tabby with yellow eyes**

 **Apprentice, Redpaw**

 **Smallear-gray tom with very small ears and amber eyes**

 **Thrushpelt-sandy-gray tom with a white flash on his chest and green eyes**

 **Apprentice, Brindlepaw**

 **Robinwing-small, energetic brown she-cat with a ginger patch on her chest and amber eyes**

 **Apprentice, Tawnypaw**

 **Fuzzypelt-black tom with fur that stands on end and yellow eyes**

 **Windflight-gray tabby tom with green eyes**

 **Speckletail-pale tabby she-cat with amber eyes**

 **Dapplepelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with beautiful dappled pelt**

 **White-eye-pale gray she-cat, blind in one eye**

 **Patchpelt-black and white tom with amber eyes**

 **Apprentice, Whitepaw**

 **Rosetail-ginger she-cat with amber eyes**

 **Thistleclaw-gray and white tom with fur that stands on end and amber eyes**

 **Apprentice, Tigerpaw**

 **Lionheart-fluffy golden tabby tom**

 **Apprentices** **:**

 **Goldenpaw-pretty pale golden tabby she-cat**

 **Spottedpaw-beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with delicate paws and amber eyes**

 **Frostpaw-white she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Willowpaw-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Redpaw-dark-colored, dappled tortoiseshell tom with a red tail and amber eyes**

 **Brindlepaw-pretty dappled gray tabby she-cat**

 **Tawnypaw-light gray tabby tom with amber eyes**

 **Whitepaw-white-furred tom with amber eyes**

 **Tigerpaw-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes**

 **Queens** **:**

 **Leopardfoot-jet-black she-cat with green eyes**

 **Swiftbreeze-tabby and white she-cat with yellow eyes**

 **Poppydawn-dark red she-cat with a bushy tail and amber eyes**

 _ **ShadowClan**_

 **Leader: Raggedstar-dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes**

 **Deputy: Cloudpelt-gray tabby and white tom with blue eyes**

 **Medicine Cat: Sagewhisker-white she-cat with long whiskers and green eyes**

 **Apprentice, Yellowfang (fluffy gray she-cat with orange eyes)**

 **Warriors** **:**

 **Crowtail-black tabby she-cat**

 **Mudclaw-dark brown tabby tom with green eyes**

 **Brackenfoot-pale ginger tom with dark ginger legs**

 **Archeye-gray tabby tom with black stripes and a long stripe over his eye**

 **Apprentice, Marigoldpaw (tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes)**

 **Brightflower-orange tabby she-cat with golden eyes**

 **Featherstorm-brown tabby she-cat**

 **Apprentice, Mintpaw (gray tom with dark blue eyes)**

 **Hollyflower-dark gray and white she-cat with yellow eyes**

 **Lizardstripe-dusty brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Poolcloud-gray and white she-cat**

 **Rowanberry-fluffy cream and brown she-cat**

 **Nutwhisker-brown tom with amber eyes**

 **Blackfoot-huge white tom with black paws**

 **Flintfang-gray tom**

 **Fernshade-tortoiseshell she-cat with fluffy fur**

 **Russetfur-ginger she-cat**

 **Brokentail-brown tabby tom with a bent tail**

 **Elders** **:**

 **Lizardfang-light brown tabby tom with one hooked tooth**

 _ **WindClan**_

 **Leader: Heatherstar-pinkish-gray she-cat with blue eyes**

 **Deputy: Talltail-black and white tom with amber eyes**

 **Apprentice, Deadpaw (black tom)**

 **Medicine Cat: Hawkheart-mottled dark brown tom with yellow eyes**

 **Apprentice, Barkface (gray tom)**

 **Warriors** **:**

 **Redclaw-dark orange tom**

 **Hareflight-light brown tom**

 **Aspenfall-gray and white tom**

 **Cloudrunner-pale gray tom**

 **Dawnstripe-pale gold tabby she-cat with cream-colored stripes**

 **Larksplash-tortoiseshell and white she-cat**

 **Appledawn-rose-cream she-cat with yellow eyes**

 **Woollytail-gray and white tom**

 **Hickorynose-brown tom**

 **Mistmouse-light brown tabby she-cat**

 **Plumclaw-dark gray she-cat**

 **Ryestalk-gray tabby she-cat**

 **Stagleap-dark brown tom with amber eyes**

 **Apprentice, Sorrelpaw (gray and brown she-cat)**

 **Doespring-light brown spotted she-cat**

 **Apprentice, Pigeonpaw (dark gray tom with white patches)**

 **Queens** **:**

 **Palebird-black and white she-cat**

 **Brackenwing-pale ginger she-cat**

 **Meadowslip-gray she-cat**

 **Elders** **:**

 **Whiteberry-small pure white tom**

 **Flamepelt-dark ginger tom**

 **Lilywhisker-light brown she-cat**

 **Flailfoot-black tom**

 _RiverClan_

 **Leader: Hailstar-thick-pelted gray tom**

 **Deputy: Crookedjaw-brown tabby tom with a crooked jaw**

 **Medicine Cat: Brambleberry-pretty white she-cat with black spots and blue eyes**

 **Apprentice, Mudfur (long-haired light brown tom)**

 **Warriors** **:**

 **Rippleclaw-black and silver tabby tom**

 **Timberfur-brown tom**

 **Owlfur-brown and white tom**

 **Ottersplash-white and ginger she-cat**

 **Cedarpelt-brown tabby tom**

 **Lilystem-gray she-cat**

 **Brightsky-nimble white and ginger she-cat**

 **Piketooth-skinny brown tabby tom with a narrow face and protruding canine teeth**

 **Lakeshine-pretty long-haired gray and white she-cat**

 **Shimmerpelt-black she-cat with glossy pelt**

 **Softwing-small, white she-cat with ginger tabby patches**

 **Whitefang-huge, white tom with a tabby tail and brown paws**

 **Voleclaw-gray tom**

 **Beetlenose-black tom**

 **Petaldust-tortoiseshell and white she-cat**

 **Oakheart-light brown tabby tom**

 **Queens** **:**

 **Graypool-dark gray she-cat**

 **Willowbreeze-pretty silver tabby she-cat**

 **Echomist-pale gray she-cat with white patches**

 **Fallowtail-light brown she-cat**

 **Elders** **:**

 **Troutclaw-gray tabby tom**

 **Tanglewhisker-long-haired tabby tom with tangled fur**

 **Birdsong-tabby and white she-cat**

 _Prologue_

 _Something poked Redkit's side,_ causing him to hiss in annoyance. He opened his amber eyes, seeing a shadow over him. Redkit blinked to clear his vision and realized it was his sister, Willowkit.

Willowkit's blue eyes sparkled when Redkit looked at her. "You're finally awake!" she purred. She then shoved him to his paws, much to the tortoiseshell kit's annoyance. "Come on! Spottedkit and Brindlekit says that Tigerpaw wants to play with us!"

Redkit blinked at her. "So?"

"Tigerpaw's an _apprentice_ , Redkit! Do you know how much of an honor it would be to play with him? He could teach us all sorts of moves!" Willowkit swiped her paw forward to emphasize, battering her brother's fur.

"But Tigerpaw just became an apprentice," Redkit meowed, opening his jaws in a huge yawn. "And besides, I don't even like him! He always thought he was the strongest and rubbed it in everyone's faces."

"But-"

"Sorry, Willowkit." The tortoiseshell tom turned away from his sister and then sat down, looking at his white paws lazily. Ignoring his sister's expression-he just _knew_ that she was pouting-he licked his chest fur to try to smooth it down to no avail.

Willowkit let out a meow, trying to grab her brother's attention, but Redkit just continued to ignore her, opening his jaws in another yawn. His gray sister huffed and then muttered, "Fine, I'll just play with Spottedkit, Brindlekit, and Tigerpaw without you." Willowkit pushed past Redkit, exiting the Nursery in annoyance.

Redkit scoffed at her attempt to make him feel left out. He felt perfectly fine with being left out of that game. Tigerpaw, apprentice or not, spelled trouble almost everywhere he went. Really, he went wandering into ShadowClan territory once back when he was a kit.

Suddenly, Swiftbreeze's fluffy tail wrapped around him and her soft scent wreathed around him. "Redkit, why aren't you playing with the others?" his mother asked quietly.

"They're playing with Tigerpaw," Redkit muttered sourly.

His mother sighed. "Redkit, you have to get over your thought of Tigerpaw bringing trouble. I think he has great potential and will make a great warrior."

The tortoiseshell tom flashed her an indignant look. "A great warrior?!" he spat in disbelief. "Yeah right!"

Swiftbreeze sighed again. "Just go play," she meowed, pushing him softly out the den. Redkit scowled, trying to go back in the Nursery but failing against his mother's overall strength over him. The tortoiseshell tom was met with the outside world and his scowl only deepened.

"Oh, Redkit!" Brindlekit exclaimed excitedly, bouncing up to him. "Great timing! Tigerpaw was just about to show us the hunting crouch!"

Redkit looked up at Swiftbreeze with an upset expression. The tabby queen purred, disappearing back into the Nursery. "Have fun!" his mother purred.

Brindlekit smiled at Redkit, her green eyes lighting up. "Come on!" she meowed excitedly, turning around and waving her tail for him to follow him.

Redkit sighed, spotting Willowkit, Spottedkit, and Tigerpaw in the direction the gray tabby she-kit was heading. The tortoiseshell tom grumbled angrily and followed after her, giving Tigerpaw a glare.

Once the two kits arrived, Tigerpaw looked all of them over. "Alright, the kits who want to be here are here," the dark brown tabby apprentice meowed with an authoritative air. "I'm gonna show you what Thistleclaw taught me today!"

His sisters and Brindlekit murmured excitedly under their breath, while Redkit just sat there with a scowl, eyeing Tigerpaw suspiciously.

The dark tabby apprentice looked them over again before standing up straight. "First, I'll show you the hunting crouch," he meowed. Tigerpaw crouched down to the sandy ground, fixing his amber gaze on a patch of grass a few mouse-lengths away. He flattened his tail on the floor. "Flatten your tail so that it doesn't rustle any leaves," he instructed. "And make sure you're downwind as well."

"Whoa," Willowkit breathed, her blue eyes wide in admiration.

"Who wants to try it?" Tigerpaw asked, jumping back up to his paws. The kits except for Redkit crowded around him, excitedly squeaking and meowing. The dark brown tabby apprentice looked annoyed for a moment, his amber eyes scanning the group before him before his gaze landed on Redkit.

Redkit flinched, but didn't back down from his stare. The showdown lasted for a few moments before Tigerpaw blinked. The tabby apprentice pushed through the crowd of kits and stood in front of him. "You, try it," Tigerpaw ordered, an odd glint in his amber eyes.

"Me?" Redkit asked, his amber eyes huge.

"Yes, you," Tigerpaw meowed impatiently, his tail lashing. "Come on! I don't have all day."

Redkit frowned at him in annoyance, and Tigerpaw mirrored his expression. After a moment, the tortoiseshell kit crouched, his fur bristling. He flattened his tail to the ground, and then to his and Tigerpaw's surprise, he pounced on him.

Tigerpaw hissed, pushing Redkit off of him. "Remember your place," he meowed, scowling. "I'm the apprentice."

"That was really cool!" Brindlekit exclaimed, somehow suddenly appearing by Redkit's side. "You're gonna be the best warrior ever!" the gray kit purred to him.

Tigerpaw frowned, and then suddenly smirked. "Oh, Redkit's your name, right?" he asked, pushing Brindlekit away with his tail as he stepped closer.

"Yeah," Redkit meowed defiantly, puffing out his chest and standing up straighter.

The dark brown tabby apprentice threw him a smug look and then meowed loudly, "Kits, come here!" In an instant, Spottedkit and Willowkit were there as well, looking at Tigerpaw in admiration.

"What's this about?" Brindlekit asked, swatting Tigerpaw's tail away from her.

Redkit stood his guard, glaring at the tabby apprentice. "Whatever it is, I can take it," he meowed to the gray tabby she-kit.

"I'm gonna show you how to hunt properly," Tigerpaw meowed, crouching on the floor. "I now have a target."

The tortoiseshell tom growled, flashing his tiny teeth. "I'll tell Swiftbreeze," Redkit hissed.

Tigerpaw ignored him. He wiggled his haunches dangerously, and then pounced. He landed straight on Redkit, digging his paws sharply into the tortoiseshell kit's shoulder.

Redkit yowled in pain, landing on the sandy ground with a thump. Tigerpaw had him pinned, looking down at him dangerously with those amber eyes.

"This should teach you a lesson!" the apprentice hissed gleefully.

Redkit struggled, and he could hear Brindlekit yowling for Swiftbreeze and Leopardfoot. Spottedkit and Willowkit soon joined in the yowling, their voices mixing terribly. Tigerpaw flinched above him and pinned his ears with a snarl.

Swiftbreeze and Leopardfoot finally arrived at the scene, their eyes wide with shock. "Get your paws off my kit!" Swiftbreeze snarled, bowling over Tigerpaw fiercely.

Redkit jumped to his paws, looking at Tigerpaw angrily. Leopardfoot had been at Tigerpaw's side in an instant, whispering words and scolding him about losing his temper. After a moment, the black queen scowled, walking back into the Nursery with a flick of her tail.

Tigerpaw growled. "You guys aren't any fun."

Brindlekit puffed out her chest, stepping forward so that she stood in front of Redkit protectively. "That'll teach you to mess with my friend!" the gray tabby spat.

Swiftbreeze sighed. "Tigerpaw, why don't you go see if Thistleclaw needs help with something? I'd sure he love it if you showed how helpful you are."

Tigerpaw's mood changed in an instant. "Sure!" he chirped, spinning around and dashing off towards his gray and white mentor.

Redkit glared at him as he talked to Thistleclaw. Tigerpaw didn't seem to notice this however, too caught up in trying to please his mentor.

"Come on kits, Brindlekit," Swiftbreeze murmured tiredly, flicking her tail for them to follow. Redkit blinked as Willowkit and Spottedkit suddenly appeared by his sides.

"I guess you were right," Willowkit admitted, blinking sheepishly at him with her sky blue eyes.

"Yeah," Spottedkit meowed. "Let's play with Whitepaw next time."

"Definitely," Redkit said. Whitepaw was much more calmer and a lot less aggressive than Tigerpaw. He'd be better at showing them any cool apprentice moves.

Tigerpaw was just trouble.


End file.
